Obama Wins–The Jewish Angle

Obama Wins–The Jewish Angle

In case you were just unfreezed from a cryogenic state, Senator Barack Obama was elected president yesterday. He will be America’s first African-American president. I took the (admittedly very amateur) above photos/videos between midnight and 2:30 am this morning in front of the White House. UPDATE: Our apologies, the videos aren’t working. Ignore slides 10 and 11.

Exit polls show Obama got 78% of the Jewish vote. That’s just about in line with the 76% John Kerry got, the 79% Al Gore got, and the 78% Bill Clinton got in 1996. So much for the theories of Jews transforming into a Republican base.

Israeli President Shimon Peres put aside his own country’s political bickering for long enough to give this enthusiastic congratulation to Obama (via JTA):

“It was an American election and a worldwide choice. I don’t recall any other election that practically all of humanity was following with hope and concern. I want to congratulate the newly elected President: young, fresh, promising, representing a change and introducing change. The changes that I can mention – it is an opportunity to escape the present world crisis and enter into a new era of cooperation, of productive economy and of human solidarity.

“In a way, it is an end of racism. There is no longer any way that any white man can claim superiority, nor any black person feel discrimination. We are the same people, and this election is a great statement to that effect.”

JTA also listed all the Jewish members of congress now. As Larry mentioned earlier today, Representatives Jared Polis (D-Colo.) and John Adler (D-N.J.) were elected for the first time, while Senators Norm Coleman (R-Minn.), Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.), and Carl Levin (D-Mich.) were re-elected. The grand total of 44 (13 Senators and 31 Representatives) can be found here.